Catapult



July 24, 1956 J. s. EDWARDS 2,755,788

CATAPULT Filed Dec. 17, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

W 5. Edwavds. WW. L6

United States Patent CATAPULT John S. Edwards, Parkville, Mo. Application December 17, 1953, Serial No. 398,807 1 Claim. (Cl. 124-21) This invention relates to catapults and is particularly designed as a toy for the projection of any suitable projectiles, such as disks or the like, in imitation of socalled flying saucers, jet aircrafts, etc. When the device is made in a heavy model for outdoor use, it may be employed to project firecrackers, sky rockets or other pyrotechnics.

When the device is designed for use indoors it will preferably be made of light-weight plastic and the various corners will be rounded so that they can cause no injury to persons or damage to furnishings. In this case, also, the springs or bands used to project or operate the device, will be made of low power.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned in which rotation is imparted to a thrown disk so that it may sail true without wobble.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a catapult mechanism having a carriage or block from which the device is thrown, said carriage being attached to the launching platform so that it has only limited free travel beyond the platform.

With the general objects named in view and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain new and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the device of the invention as it appears in firing or launching position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section through the carrier and launching platform or base board.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the carrier or travelling block.

Figure 5 is an end view of the block.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of a projectile or disk.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmental section through the disk shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal fragmental section through the release mechanism.

In the said drawing, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 is a launching platform or base member which may be of molded plastic, wood, metal or other suitable material. Mounted on the base, either by being molded integrally therewith or secured thereto in any suitable manner, is a pair of spaced guides or tracks having flanges 2 adapted to embrace or receive a travelling block or carriage made up of a pair of identical members 3 and 4, formed with side edge grooves receiving the flanges 2.

The members 3 and 4 are pivotally or hingedly secured together by a hinge member 5 of any suitable strong material, such as fabric or rawhide. The hinge member 5 is of general H-shape in plan and passes around the rear of the block 3-4 and embraces the side edges Patented July 24, 1956 thereof above and below the edge grooves, and is permanently secured in position in any suitable manner.

The carriage can be engaged with the track or disengaged therefrom only by longitudinal sliding movement. In order to prevent accidental disengagement from the lower end of the base, it is preferred to supply a permanent stop member 6 as shown. By preference the base member or launching platform is provided with a pivoted brace member 7 whereby the angle of inclination of the launching platform maybe changed at will.

The carriage 3-4 is propelled up the launching platform by a rubber band or spring 8 which is secured at its ends to the ends of a pair of lever arms 9 which are pivoted at an intermediate point to extensions 10 of the base 1. The band 8 at its midpoint embraces the sides and rear of the carriage 3-4 and is permanently secured thereto, so that as the carriage passes off the front end of the track and attains its limit of travel the band snubs the two halves of the carriage and causes them to separate around their hinge member 5 and open up to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4, which releases the projectile as will appear hereinafter.

The free ends of the arms 9 are attached by rubber bands or springs 11 to the base 1 as shown. The arrangement is such that the band 8 will have a more or less straight line pull in relation to the track and carriage, and then, just before the carriage is projected from the track, the arms 9 are swung out of the way by the bands 11 to avoid possible interference with the carriage or projectile carried thereby.

By preference, a dowel pin 12 is carried by the memher 3 to fit a socket formed in the member 4. The member 4 is also provided with an upstanding short dowel 14 to impart spinning or rotation, as described below, to the projectile disk 15 provided with a double launching pin or split dowel 16 secured together by a bolt 17. The double dowel 16has been found desirable as it balances the disk 15 and insures sailing through the air without wobble. When a single dowel 16 is used one side of the disk is heavier than the other which tends to lead to wobble or uneven flight. The dowel 16 is received within a bore or socket 18 formed in the cente'r of the carriage 3-4, and as the device reaches the end of the track the two halves of the carriage separate to release the projectile as mentioned above. The dowel 14 is received within a slot 19 in the disk and as said slot 19 and dowel 14 are in eccentric relation to the axis of launching dowel 16, the dowel 14 separates from the slot after dowel 16 has been released from the carriage and such delay imparts rotation to the disk to improve and stabilize free flight. Dowel 14 is withdrawn from slot 19 due partly to the difference in line of flight of disk 15 and carriage block 3-4, together with the effect of snubbing the block by the resilient band 8. To further insure spinning of the disk a short length of cord 20 may be attached to carriage member 4, the end of said cord engaging an edge notch 21 in the disk.

For the convenience and safety of the user of the catapult any suitable trigger or latch mechanism may be provided to hold the carriage with the band tensioned until ready for release. One form of such a latch is shown in which 22 is a spring catch secured to the underside of the base 1 and provided with a detent 23 projecting through an opening 24 in the base 1 into the path of travel of the carrier when it is in firing or launching position. Journaled in bearings 25 secured to the underside of the base 1 is a shaft 26 provided with an operating handle 27. The shaft 26 is provided with a cam 28 which rides on the spring catch 22 so that swing of the lever will depress the catch and release the projectile.

From the above description and drawing it will be ap- 3 parent that I have provided a construction embodying all of the features of advantage set forth as desirable, and while I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment, it is to he understood that I reserve the right to all changes within the spirit and scope of the up pended claim I claim:

In a catapult, a track, a carriage split into'two sections hingedly connected at one end and mounted to slide on the track and to be projected from one endthereof, a resilient member attached to the track a'nd'to' both sections of the carriage and adapted to project the carriage from the track and to eifect separation of the carriage sections around their hinge when the carriage is' snubbed References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,085 Weston Aug. 13, 1889 756,988 Smith Apr. 12, 1904 1,237,625 Ferguson Aug. 21, 1917 2,019,894 Ciauss Nov. 5, 1935 2,089,594 Ballwanz Aug. 10, 1937 2,221,506 Brandon Nov. 12, 1940 2,267,163 Moser Dec. 23, 1941 

